Newswise — Not enough obstetricians are encouraging their pregnant patients to exercise, Raul Artal, M.D., chair of the department of obstetrics, gynecology and women's health at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, writes in the September issue of a publication for obstetricians and gynecologists.
"With ample evidence to show that regular, moderate exercise in women with healthy pregnancies results in no adverse maternal or fetal effects, obstetricians should make exercise recommendations a top priority," he says.
"The hesitance of obstetricians to recommend exercise to pregnant women is rooted in old-fashioned notions of pregnancy as a time of confinement."
Dr. Artal says pregnancy is a perfect time for women to begin exercising because they stick with the habits they adopt during pregnancy after their babies are born.
"The promotion of exercise during pregnancy is an important public health issue that could significantly reduce the lifetime risks of obesity, chronic hypertension and diabetes " not only for patients, but for their families as well," he says.
Dr. Artal recommends that pregnant women engage in moderate exercise " such as brisk walking, which allows them to carry a normal conversation " for about a half hour a day. They can combine aerobic and resistance training, but should avoid contact sports or activities that carry a high risk of falling or trauma to the abdomen.
Here are some of Dr. Artal's other strategies for healthy exercise during pregnancy:
·Keep workouts under 45 minutes so the body's temperature doesn't increase beyond safe levels.
·Drink enough water to keep the body's temperature at a safe level.
·Pregnancy is the time for fit women to maintain -- not dramatically improve -- their physical fitness. It's not the time to begin training for or engaging in a marathon.
·Avoid scuba diving, which puts the baby at risk for health problems.
·All women should check with their doctors about the type and intensity of exercise before they launch a workout routine. Elite athletes should be monitored more closely than others.
While Dr. Artal does not recommend exercise to control weight during pregnancy, he says it's important to overall wellness.
"Failure to lose weight gained in pregnancy is a significant contributor to the obesity epidemic," Dr. Artal says. "The promotion of good exercise habits during pregnancy can also sow the seeds for postpartum exercise and weight loss. Women whose exercise habits have become firmly entrenched during pregnancy stand a much better chance of maintaining them post partum " and perhaps even into their next pregnancy."
Dr. Artal is an internationally recognized expert in exercise during pregnancy and the lead author of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' guidelines on exercise for pregnant women. He made his comments in Ob.Gyn. News, a twice-a-month newspaper for obstetricians and gynecologists.
Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first M.D. degree west of the Mississippi River. Saint Louis University School of Medicine is a pioneer in geriatric medicine, organ transplantation, chronic disease prevention, cardiovascular disease, neurosciences and vaccine research, among others. The School of Medicine trains physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health services on a local, national and international level. Saint Louis University department of obstetrics, gynecology and women's health is known for its specialized care for high risk pregnancy, urogynecology and gynecologic oncology.
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